HYDRA: an HPC facility for Pulsar Astrophysics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
We request funds for the acquisition of a powerful supercomputer in order to help in the search for the theory of gravity that describes the evolution of the Universe as well as the movement of planets. So far, Einstein's theory of general relativity (GR) has passed all observational tests, but recent results in cosmology and the incompatibility of GR with quantum mechanics suggest that GR may fail to describe the gravitational interaction of the macroscopic world under some extreme conditions. In an attempt to determine these conditions, ever more stringent tests of GR need to be conducted, and the requested computing is capable of finding the corresponding cosmic laboratories: The requested computing power is required to search survey data obtained by the Lovell telescope and others of the world's largest radio-telescopes for radio pulsars. Pulsars are rotating neutron stars emitting radio beams along their magnetic axes and hence act like a cosmic lighthouses that sweep beams of radio light through the Universe as they rotate. A pulsar is therefore a cosmic clock which sends us its ``ticks'' with a regularity that in many cases rivals that of the best atomic clocks on Earth, as the pulsar is essentially a massive flywheel in empty space. We can use these clocks to put Einstein's theory and other theories of gravity to the test by finding them in binary systems with massive companions such as other neutron stars or black holes, and by studying how these clocks move in the 'space-time' distorted by a massive companion. The requested computing facility will be capable of finding the most extreme binary systems yet known, including classes of potentially existing pulsar - black hole systems -- the ultimate laboratories for gravitational physics.
Organisations
- University of Manchester (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Max Planck Society (Collaboration)
- University of Amsterdam (Collaboration)
- Swinburne University of Technology (Collaboration)
- ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (Collaboration)
- National Institute for Astrophysics (Collaboration)
- Australia Telescope National Facility (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON (Collaboration)
Publications
Noutsos A
(2009)
Phase-resolved Faraday rotation in pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Keane E
(2010)
Further searches for Rotating Radio Transients in the Parkes Multi-beam Pulsar Survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hobbs G
(2010)
The International Pulsar Timing Array project: using pulsars as a gravitational wave detector
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Keith M
(2010)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - I. System configuration and initial discoveries HTRU - I. System configuration
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ferdman R
(2010)
The European Pulsar Timing Array: current efforts and a LEAP toward the future
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Levin L
(2010)
A RADIO-LOUD MAGNETAR IN X-RAY QUIESCENCE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Knispel B
(2010)
Pulsar Discovery by Global Volunteer Computing
in Science
Stappers B
(2011)
Observing pulsars and fast transients with LOFAR
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bates S
(2011)
A 6.5-GHz multibeam pulsar survey A 6.5-GHz multibeam pulsar survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bates S
(2011)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - II. Discovery of five millisecond pulsars HTRU - II. Five millisecond pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bailes M
(2011)
Transformation of a star into a planet in a millisecond pulsar binary.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Keane E
(2011)
Rotating Radio Transients: new discoveries, timing solutions and musings RRATs: discoveries, timing and musings
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Burke-Spolaor S
(2011)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - III. Single-pulse searches and preliminary analysis The HTRU Survey single-pulse search
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Burke-Spolaor S
(2012)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - V. Single-pulse energetics and modulation properties of 315 pulsars Single-pulse properties of 315 pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Keane E
(2012)
On the origin of a highly dispersed coherent radio burst A highly dispersed coherent radio burst
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Bates S
(2012)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - VI. An artificial neural network and timing of 75 pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Keith M
(2012)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - IV. Discovery and polarimetry of millisecond pulsars HTRU IV: discovery and polarization of MSPs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Macquart J
(2013)
The Commensal Real-Time ASKAP Fast-Transients (CRAFT) Survey
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Coenen T
(2013)
Pilot pulsar surveys with LOFAR
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Burgay M
(2013)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - VII. Discovery of five millisecond pulsars and the different luminosity properties of binary and isolated recycled pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Levin L
(2013)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey -VIII. The Galactic millisecond pulsar population
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rubio-Herrera E
(2013)
A search for radio pulsars and fast transients in M31 using the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Thornton D
(2013)
A population of fast radio bursts at cosmological distances.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Tiburzi C
(2013)
The High Time Resolution Universe survey - IX. Polarimetry of long-period pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Espinoza C
(2014)
Neutron star glitches have a substantial minimum size
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | One of the key elements of purchasing the HYDRA supercomputer was to aid our ability to find new pulsars and so-called fast transients by improving computational capabilities so we could search in a greater range of parameter space but also to allow the implementation of new algorithms. Some key results are: i) We have confirmed a new type of short duration, about 1 millisecond long, radio transient source that is not seen to repeat. These so-called Fast Radio Bursts are therefore believed to be associated with cataclysmic events, i.e. where a star, or stars, explode or merge. Moreover they are thought to be located at cosmological distances and by studying the properties of the signal after it has propagated through the intervening medium, this can tell us important information about the so-called missing baryons, i.e. where is some of the missing mass, in the Universe. ii) We have discovered two new planets, these are not like planets known anywhere else in the Galaxy up until now. They orbit radio pulsars and they are most likely formed through the ablation of material from a former star. What remains is an extremely dense object, with a density greater than diamond, and hence they have gained the moniker diamond planets. iii) We have also been able to find many more so-called millisecond pulsars, these rapidly rotating compact objects are the best known of nature's clocks and their stability of rotation means that they can be used for many experiments from studying theories of gravity to the direct detection of gravitational waves. As part of the pulsar survey we have carried out using HYDRA as a processing resource we have found a number of objects which will contribute to both of these studies. |
| Exploitation Route | Through the finding of many new and varied types of objects we are able to provide sources than can be used in a variety of further astrophysical study. The algorithms and methods we have developed may also be used for future large radio telescopes like the Square Kilometre Array. |
| Sectors | Other |
| Description | The main areas where our research has been used outside of academia is in the area of cultural impact. This has concentrated in the areas that are described through our outputs such as: Press releases, public websites, presentations to public groups, including schools, through our contributions to the University of Manchester's Discovery Centre. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2009 |
| Sector | Education,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | High Time Resolution Universe - North |
| Organisation | Australia Telescope National Facility |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We have provided expertise, personnel and computing resources |
| Collaborator Contribution | Computing Facilities, expertise |
| Impact | None yet as this collaboration has only just started acquiring data and is a long term project |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | High Time Resolution Universe - North |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have provided expertise, personnel and computing resources |
| Collaborator Contribution | Computing Facilities, expertise |
| Impact | None yet as this collaboration has only just started acquiring data and is a long term project |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | High Time Resolution Universe - North |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have provided expertise, personnel and computing resources |
| Collaborator Contribution | Computing Facilities, expertise |
| Impact | None yet as this collaboration has only just started acquiring data and is a long term project |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | High Time Resolution Universe - South |
| Organisation | Australia Telescope National Facility |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We have provided training, manpower, expertise and facilities |
| Impact | This has resulted in 2 published papers, 2 in press and 4 presently in preparation. |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | High Time Resolution Universe - South |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have provided training, manpower, expertise and facilities |
| Impact | This has resulted in 2 published papers, 2 in press and 4 presently in preparation. |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | High Time Resolution Universe - South |
| Organisation | National Institute for Astrophysics |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have provided training, manpower, expertise and facilities |
| Impact | This has resulted in 2 published papers, 2 in press and 4 presently in preparation. |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | High Time Resolution Universe - South |
| Organisation | Swinburne University of Technology |
| Department | Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have provided training, manpower, expertise and facilities |
| Impact | This has resulted in 2 published papers, 2 in press and 4 presently in preparation. |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | LOFAR |
| Organisation | ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We contribute to the science, observations and data reduction but we also supply technical expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners provide science, observing support, data analysis and technical expertise. |
| Impact | The major outcomes of this collaboration are research papers as indicated in the relevant sections above. |
| Description | LOFAR |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We contribute to the science, observations and data reduction but we also supply technical expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners provide science, observing support, data analysis and technical expertise. |
| Impact | The major outcomes of this collaboration are research papers as indicated in the relevant sections above. |
| Description | LOFAR |
| Organisation | University of Amsterdam |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We contribute to the science, observations and data reduction but we also supply technical expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners provide science, observing support, data analysis and technical expertise. |
| Impact | The major outcomes of this collaboration are research papers as indicated in the relevant sections above. |
| Description | LOFAR |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Department of Physics |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We contribute to the science, observations and data reduction but we also supply technical expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners provide science, observing support, data analysis and technical expertise. |
| Impact | The major outcomes of this collaboration are research papers as indicated in the relevant sections above. |
| Description | LOFAR |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Department | Physics and Astronomy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We contribute to the science, observations and data reduction but we also supply technical expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners provide science, observing support, data analysis and technical expertise. |
| Impact | The major outcomes of this collaboration are research papers as indicated in the relevant sections above. |